150 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
day the captain returned to the ship | and we shortly 
afterwards weighed anchor^ and sailed for the island of 
Eimeo. 
’ Moorea> the name most frequently given by the natives to 
this island_j was discovered by Captain Wallis^ and by him 
called Duke of York Island. It is situated about twelve or 
fourteen miles west from Tahiti^ and is twenty-five miles 
in circumference. In the varied forms its mountains 
exhibit^ the verdure with which they are clothed_j and 
the general romantic, and beautiful character of its 
scenery^ this island far exceeds any other^ in either the 
Georgian or Society groups. A reef of coral^ like a ring, 
surrounds the island | in some places one or two miles 
distant from the shore, in others united to the beach. 
Several small and verdant islands adorn the reef: one 
lies opposite the district of Afareaitu on the eastern side; 
two others, a few miles south of Papetoai ; the latter are 
covered with the elegantly growing Casuarina, or Aito 
trees, and were a favourite retreat of Pomare the Second. 
Eimeo is not only distinguished by its varied and 
beautiful natural scenery, but also by the excellence of 
its harbours, which are better than those in any of the 
other islands. 
‘ On the north side is Taloo harbour, in lat. 17° 3(y 
north, long. 150® west: one of the most secure and de¬ 
lightful anchoring places to be met with in the Pacific; 
Opunohu is the proper name of this harbour 5 near the 
mouth of which, on the right-hand side, there is a small 
rock, called by the natives Tareii^ towards which, it is 
possible, Captain Cook was pointing, or looking, when 
he inquired of the natives the name of the harbour his 
ship was then entering. Tareu might be easily under¬ 
stood as if spelled Taloo, and the name of the rock 
